1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for a photochemical process, such as a photocatalytic and/or a photosynthetic process, especially for the cultivation and production or hydrocultivation of preferably phototrophic micro-organisms, wherein a reactor, especially a bioreactor, is provided, and a reaction medium, for example an aqueous solution or a suspension, is guided in the reactor in a meandering manner.
2. Discussion of Background Information
A bioreactor for phototrophic micro-organisms, which is made of glass or plastic, is known from DE 41 34 813 A1. The culture medium is either pumped through the bioreactor or conducted towards the bottom in a meandering manner through the horizontally positioned web plates. In addition, turbulence-creating media are positioned in the webs. In accordance with the method, carbon dioxide is introduced at the top and natural or artificial light is used to operate. The bioreactor is positioned at a right angle to the light source or tracking it.
Furthermore, bioreactors for phototrophic micro-organisms or for photocatalytic processes are also known from GB 2 235 210 A and DE 196 44 992 C1.
Photoctalytic wastewater treatment in a bioreactor is known from EP 738 686 A1, wherein the liquid to be cleaned is conducted through multiple web plates made of transparent plastic. For regulation of the temperature, customary translucent multiple web plates can be used.
Moreover, an actively or passively temperature-controllable solar element made of multiple web plates with at least three belts is described in WO 98/18903. Layers within the reactor are used alternately for a photochemical or photosynthetic process. The culture medium is thereby conducted towards the bottom in a meandering manner in a closed reactor with a sealed front and horizontally positioned web plates.
A bioreactor through which the reaction medium flows horizontally is known from WO 2008/079724 A2, whereby the bioreactor is arranged in a water basin.
Known are of course also the Archimedian screw and the spiral of Da Vinci, for example from Florian Manfred Gratz “Semi-automatic Generation of Circuit and Fluid Diagrams for Mechatronic Systems” (thesis at Munich Tech. Univ. 2006) ISBN 10 3-8316-0643-9.
In addition, a hydropower screw with a trough and a generator for power production is known from DE 195 07 149 C2. A hydropower screw for energy conversion is known from DE 41 39 134 C2.
Naturally, the hydrostatic balance of force is known as hydrostatic paradox, also referred to as Pascal's paradox. This is an apparent paradox which describes the phenomenon that a fluid causes a vertical pressure at the base of a vessel depending on the filling level of the fluid, whereby the shape of the vessel has no influence though.
Vessels which are open at the top and connected at the bottom are called interconnected tanks or interconnected pipes. A homogenous fluid has the same level in these, as the air pressure and gravity have an equal effect on the vessels. In the case of inhomogeneous fluids, the columns of liquid behave inversely to their specific gravity in relation to the level.
Usually, transport in solar reactors is carried out by customary pumping methods, as also in some of the methods mentioned above. This procedure causes stress in the reaction medium, be it due to high pressure, negative pressure, high acceleration or squeezing. Being subjected to this stress, most of the phototrophic micro-organisms relinquish their potential photosynthetic capabilities. Cells are destroyed or damaged and/or the micro-organisms need time and/or metabolic products for regeneration before they can fully recuperate the processes assigned them. Equally, most photochemical processes suffer a drop in their potential photocatalytic capabilities under this stress, as molecules are destroyed or damaged and/or require additional time and/or oxidising agents before they can fully recuperate the processes assigned to them.